We expect integrity and honesty from our police – it is a sad day when a code
of ethics is required

These are uncomfortable times for the police. The parade of officers before the Commons home affairs select committee this week to answer questions about “Plebgate” represented a new low for the force. Members of the Police Federation were accused of misleading the public about what was said during a meeting with Andrew Mitchell, the former government chief whip, while a trio of chief officers were criticised for failing to deal properly with this apparent misconduct. An apology has been offered to Mr Mitchell, who continues to deny the allegation that he called police officers at the gates of Downing Street “----ing plebs”.

That seemingly innocuous 47-second confrontation a year ago has become a major test of police probity and public trust. So much so, indeed, that it has become necessary for the Home Secretary to issue a “code of ethics” and to remind police officers that they “must respect and obey the law at all times”. Theresa May yesterday said it was “astonishing” that the police have not had an explicit code of ethics before, an equivalent to the Hippocratic Oath for doctors. But, equally, many might consider it astonishing that it is needed at all. Do the police really have to be prompted to stay within the law and not to lie? And are those who need to be told this going to be swayed by a new set of guidelines?

The code is being issued by the new College of Policing, a body set up to professionalise the force in England and Wales and oversee its next generation of leaders. Ministers envisage its board challenging the power and influence of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) as the public face of the police. Yet its predecessor, the National Policing Improvement Agency, made little impact, and the college will have to take on many vested interests to provide the “dynamic leadership” Mrs May expects of it.

She is, however, right to focus on this issue. Leadership is important in any institution, but especially in hierarchical structures such as the police. If the people at the top fail to behave properly, why should anyone lower down the chain of command do so? There have been many half-hearted efforts to break down the police’s “canteen culture” by encouraging people to join from other careers, but without much success.

The idea is nevertheless worth pursuing, as is Mrs May’s plan to beef up the Independent Police Complaints Commission so that forces are not seen to be investigating themselves. Yet above all, we expect integrity and honesty from our police – and while such basic proprieties can be reinforced by a code of ethics, it is a sad day when one is required.